Know Your Place Miss Granger
by kuroaiko2014
Summary: Returning to Hogwarts as the new Potions Mistress, Hermione has run-in after run-in with people she never thought to see again, starting with the previous Potions Master turned Headmaster. Will she be able to stand her ground, or will she falter in her course? What's this about a curse? ALSO: DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter, alas, does not belong to me... T-T
1. Chapter 1 Do You Really Mean It?

Chapter 1 Do You Really Mean It?

Looking out the window in the carriage, Hermione sighed. Thestrals were magnificent, but sad, creatures. It doesn't seem fair that the poor creatures are only visible to people after seeing something as violent as death.

The carriage rolled to a stop at the gates of Hogwarts. This was it. Time to start her new job as Potions Professor.

As she exited the carriage and walked forward to pet the Thestral, a dark shadow passed by the window next to the great door. The door slammed open, and a man in a swarm of robes strode out. "Miss Granger." Snape hadn't changed much in the six years since the end of the war. His voice was softer due to Nagini's bite, but it still carried the warning tone that he always had while teaching.

Hermione ducked between the Thestrals watching Snape warily. "Sir. I was told that Professor McGonagal was going to see me today. I wasn't aware that you were back again."

His eyes narrowed as the Thestrals, sensing her growing ire towards the man raised their wings to shield her.

"This was a bad idea. I'll leave." She started out on the other side of the Thestral pair.

Snape sighed, irritated. "Miss Granger," he drawled, "Minerva was detained by Filius to talk about the opening feast. I was sent to make sure you didn't run away," he looked at the Thestrals that blocked her in before she could leave, "which you are obviously trying to do. I don't bite, despite what the rumors may say." He turned on his heel, robes billowing out behind him, "Come along Miss Granger. Time to meet the rest of the new staff. You are the last to arrive. Gronwell, Binlow, let her out. It's time for her to stand on her own."

To Hermione's shock, the Thestrals dropped their wings and sidestepped to the outside, leaving her exposed to walk alone. "You have names?" She wondered aloud. "I'll come visit you two beautiful creatures later." She stepped forward, immediately missing their heat and the sense of security she had momentarily had. The Thestrals each nudged her forward with their noses before starting the trek back to the stables and food.

Snape watched her interaction out of the corner of his eyes, noting that the beasts actually gave her comfort instead of fear. "Let's go, Miss Granger," he barked to watch her jump.

She narrowed her eyes and scowled at him. "I'm not your student anymore Professor. You can't order me around or deduct points from me." She stormed past him towards the Headmaster's Office.

"Granger! We're meeting in the Great Hall." He sneered at her as he held open the door for her to enter before him.

"One of these days, you'll get what's coming to you, you rude Bat," she retorted as the stalked in.

Unfortunately, it echoed right down to the head table where the other Professors were already seated. Her face heated as she flushed red. "Apologies Headmistress."

Minerva laughed. "Severus, be nice to our new Potions Professor. You didn't even tell her that you were taking on the Headmaster's role did you? Hermione," Minerva stood and enveloped Hermione in a hug, "it is good to see you, but I'm Deputy Headmistress. Severus, the mean man, is Headmaster."

Hermione squeaked as Minerva let her go as she looked over her shoulder at Snape. "He conveniently left that out. I'll just be leaving since I've just insulted my new boss." She started to back out of the Great Hall. Curious eyes watched as Severus silently moved to block her exit, surrounding her in his robes. His head snapped up and he pushed her back towards the room and away from his person, "You should watch where you are going Miss Granger. You came dangerously close to stepping on my favorite boots." With that, he turned and strode out the doors.

"Minerva..." Hermione groaned. "What did I just do?"

Minerva smiled and put her arm around the girl's shoulders. "That's just how Severus is. You should know better than to take his actions to heart." She led Hermione to the Head Table. "You know Filius, Septima, Sinestra, and Sibil. They're still in charge of Charms, Arithmancy, Astronomy and Divination respectively. New additions, Draco Malfoy as Defense, Neville Longbottom as Herbology, Luna Longbottom as Care of Magical Creatures, and you as Potions."

Each person nodded as their name was said, except Draco who looked at Hermione with a calculating stare. "Not a Weasley bride I take it, Granger?"

Hermione groaned and ran a hand through her hair, "Of course not. Even you can keep up with me better than Ron can. Besides, he always had a thing for 'Lav-Lav' even while we were together. That nipped our relationship in the bud, especially when I came home early a few months after you left and found him in bed with her." Hermione plopped down in the seat between Draco and Luna, looking out over the Great Hall with detached interest. I'm fairly certain that he'll be able to have children some day..." she snorted. "Anyways, Draco," she turned back towards Malfoy, "how have you been the last two years? I haven't seen you at all. I had hoped we were becoming friends."

Draco grinned, "I'm glad that wasn't my imagination. Weasley didn't like me hanging out with you, so I decided I would take a sabbatical. I traveled across Asia, set up a couple of apothecary shops, and went to Australia to see about getting an ingredient trade set up for Uncle Sev."

Hermione grinned, "Think I might be able to get in on that ingredient enterprise you've started? I never did get my parents' memories back, so it would be nice to see them on any terms..."

Draco stood and offered Hermione his arm. "Would you like to see what I've come up with so far, Mia darling?"

Hermione smiled softly and stood, taking the pro-offered arm. "Lead the way Dray. I've missed you terribly these last few years. I'm glad that I split from Ron, now that I know I can be friends with you once more." She waved to everyone else. "See you at breakfast everyone." The two left the Great Hall whispering conspiratorially with each other.

"Do you really mean it? I can look at all of your books?" Hermione hugged Draco laughing. "I haven't felt this happy since I finally gave Ron the boot. I tried to contact you the second we split, but you didn't leave a forwarding address, and my Kel couldn't even find you."

Draco hung his head, "I kept myself at an UnPlottable and UnTracable house. I was hiding from the bad press following me around after the fight I had with your Ex. If I had know that you had separated, I would have keyed you and Kel into my wards. I'm sorry, Mia. We could have been communicating for the last two years at least..."

As they walked arm in arm towards Draco's quarters, they passed a darkened classroom where a shadowed figure was listening to them intently.

"I love that we can be together like this again, Dray. I've missed you so much!" Hermione rested her head on his shoulder for a few steps before straightening back up to walk normally.

The figure's eyes glittered dangerously watching the display before melting back into the room so as not to be noticed.

**A/N And that dear readers is chapter one. R/R for cookies! =]**

**I'm also starting a SS/HG story and possibly a LL/DM one if I can figure out where I really want to take it.**


	2. Chapter 2 I Can't Believe You!

A/N Forgot on Chapter 1, but obviously, Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, or the pairings I go with would have happened for real.

To my reviewers:

Sleepisfortheweak16: Here's chapter 2 just for you. =]

HallowRain8587: I am still trying to decide who the shadow is, but it's definitely not a good person. =]

DreamaLirit: I know the nicknames are akward, but I'll be explaining them away in this chapter to go back to normal names.

Thank you!

I accidentally deleted the content that I was going to use as Chapter 2, so now we're going in a diferent direction. -_- Ultimate brain fart.

/end A/N

Chapter 2 I Can't Believe You!

The next two weeks flew by, and the shock of the other Professors over the intimate way Porfessors Granger and Malfoy eventually wore off. It had become apparent over the course of those two weeks that the duo only called each other those pet names when joking with each other.

"Draco!" Hermione jogged to catch up to the departing Malfoy. "Did Snape sign off on your syllabus yet?" She clutched a few sheets of parchment tightly in her left hand.

Draco looked at her in confusion. "My syllabus was signed off on the day after you got here. Why? Is that yours?" He pointed at the parchment in her hand.

Hermione growled and thrust the pages at him. "He _refuses_ to sign off. It is almost exactly like the ones he set up when we were in his class. Why won't he just sign off? The students will be here in three days!" She practically wailed on the last word.

As Draco read through her syllabus, what little he could read through the red ink striking through the majority of it. In fact, it looked like the only thing not marked through was her name and the course titles for each Year. "What in Merlin's name is he thinking?" He stared at the pages, flipping back and forth between each one. "Oh, hell, no. These are exactly what each year needs to be taught, within the right time frames. Come on, Granger. Let's talk to my dear, sweet Uncle and figure out what's got his knickers in a twist over your syllabi." He grabbed her hand, and still holding her pachments, marched off towards the Headmaster's Office.

Upon reaching the gargoyle gaurding the door, he arched an eyebrow. "Open up." The gargoyle mimiced his raised eyebrow and barked out in a gravelly voice, "Headmaster does not wish for guests at this time."

At that remark, Hermione narrowed her gaze and drew her wand. "You do remember that _I_ was the one to fix you after the battle, do you not? I can just as easily undo those enchantments you know. My magical signature is all over yours now." She pointed her wand lazily at the statue as it glared at her fiercely.

"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you! He is very irritated with you witch." With the biting retort, the gargoyle spun away, the spiral staircase coming into view.

Hermione smirked and kept her wand at the ready. Snape had been a real thorn in her side since she came back. She was itching to have an excuse to hex him for his behavior towards her and she knew that Draco would take her side, Godfather or not.

Draco dropped Hermione's hand to bang on the door before pushing it open. "Uncle!" He surveyed the empty office andd groaned. "Granger, I think he's in his rooms..."

Hermione's eyes glittered with fury. "Oh, no, he isn't. His sneaky Slytherin arse is sitting at his sodding desk under a disillusionment." She snapped her wand with a wordless _Finite Incantatum_. "As yes. Hello Headmaster," she sneered at him. "Care to explain why my syllabus, which is damn near identical to the one you taught from before taking this position is _yet again_ refused?!"

Draco looked at his materialized Godfather who hadn't so much as twitched since being revealed. "How many times did you deny her work, Uncle?"

Snape's eyes slid over to Draco's before snapping back to the sparking witch in front of him. "You are trying to be me." His eyes roved over her attire for the day, reminiscent of his old robes with innumerable buttons. "You need to be more of an indiviual, not a carbon copy," he drawled out.

She gaped at him. "I am not copying you!" She looked at her robes as he pointed looked at them. "Oh, please. I can't believe you! For one thing, I have robes with more variety than you have in yours. I bet even your trousers are black to go with your broodiness. At least I have a bit of style you overgrown Bat. And as for me copying your syllabi? I double checked every years' syllabi for the last thirty-five years, even surpassing your classes and I know for a fact that you were using the Professor's from before when you took over. There is absolutely NO reason you should be slashing through my syllabus like a Firstie's very first essay." She stomped her foot. "Prat."

Severus arched an eyebrow and steepled his fingers in front of his face. "Anything else? Care to disparage me further?" At her silence he continued, "I marked out your syllabus because this year there are new books and they don't follow the same set-up of previous years. I suggest you get the new book and redo your work Miss Granger before I find a replacement for your disrespect and temper. You are dismissed." He picked up a quill and started scratching out a note.

He kept writing at her heard the door open and close. When he looked up and saw Hermione still remaining he looked at her expectantly. "What Miss Granger? I don't have time for a duel right now. Perhaps at the Opening Feast we can give the new students something to talk about."

She stared at him. "When did the new books come out?"

"Three weeks ago."

"Then the new books would not be used this year. They would have to be used next year. There isn't enough time to get the right book for all the students AND write up a new syllabus for each year. Did you read all seven books to familiarize yourself with the new materials yet?"

He smirked. "No, Miss Granger, I did not. Now, if that is all?"

"No, it isn't." She held out her sheaf of parchments. "I want you to approve of this year's byllabi so I can teach and have time to prepare for the new materials for next year."

Snape almost smiled at that. "Well, then I guess I really should do that." He waved her over so he could look at the parchments. "All right. You are free to go." He waved his hand over the parchments causing the red to disappear.

Hermione sighed. "Why did you make me go through all that if you could just wave your hand and give me my pages back?"

Snape leaned back in his chair as he regarded the woman. "Honestly, Miss Granger? You seem to be a shell of your former self. I wanted you to fight for what you believe in. I know that you became friends with Draco and that the ginger idiot spurned you, but you are so much better than all of that. I wanted to remind you of it." He sighed. "It is getting late. Draco is waiting at the gargoyle to walk you to your rooms. Goodnight Miss Granger."

He stood and walked her to the door.

As the door shut behind her and she walked down the spiral staircase she went over the conversation again. _That was certainly odd_, she thought to herself. _I never thought that Snape would care about how I viewed myself_...

"Hey!" Hermione walked right into Draco. He caught her before she knocked them both to the floor. "Did you fix what you needed to, Granger?"

She smiled, softly. "I think he _cares_. How weird is that?"

Neither of them noticed when a figure shifted back into the dark shadows, watching them with malice.


	3. Chapter 3 Here We Go

Chapter 3 Here We Go

The next few days, Hermione devoured the new Potions books that had come out while she was on holiday in Rota, Spain. She had spent quite a bit of time studying the interactions between the muggles and wizards. Rowena Road had shown her that Diagon Alley was by no means the best when it came to Wizarding shops. She had become engrossed in learning the local culture and for once, instead of trying to read everything in sight, had had a whirlwind romance with a wizard a few years her senior and a native to Rota.

Which led her to testing out new potions that were in the books she had never had a chance to read. She decided that it would be best to see what would happen if she made mistakes likely to be duplicated by her students. One such experiment had her showing up to dinner the night before the feast with half her face stained purple and her hair unnaturally straight.

"You know, Draco. If I can get rid of the nasty purple staining side effect, this would be a perfect straigtening potion for unmanagable hair." She laughed at the looks she got from the other Professors.

"Hermione, dear, do you need to see Poppy?" Minerva looked at Hermione quizically.

Luna smiled in her far-off manner. "I like purple. Can I have that potion? Maybe I can get my vines on the Magical Menagerie to change colors." She put her Spectre-specs on top of her head and started eating her dinner.

Neville looked at Hermione and couldn't see what the fuss was about. "What is Luna talking ab-" He cut off as Hermione faced him head on and he saw her half purple countenace. "Bloody hell, Hermione! That's actually a cool side-effect!"

At that moment, Snape walked into the Great Hall. "Professors! It is time to make sure that any last minute details regarding the influx of students be taken care of. They will be here in less than twenty-four hours. Be prepared!" He looked at Hermione at that point and almost choked. "Miss Granger!" He barked out at her. "Come with me." He turned and stalked out the doors.

Hermione looked at the point where he had stood flabbergasted.

"You'd better go, Granger," Draco cautioned. "He probably wants to know how a Potions Mistress ended up blasted by her own potion." He nudged her arm. "Now would be a good time. Uncle doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Hermione stood, ran her hands through her staight hair distractedly. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving." She walked through the door and when it closed behind her she was immediately hit with a combination _Silencio_ and _Incarcerous_.

_Who the hell?_ Hermione looked about wildly trying to struggle out of the ropes binding her. Then she was hit with another spell, rendering her unconcious.

When she came around, Hermione bit back a groan and attempted to feel around her. _Where am I?_ She was blindfolded and her questing fingers met resistance when she tried to pull her hands apart. A rattle of chains and a restrictoin on her oxygen flow brought her to the concllusion that her wrists were bound together behind her back and attached to a collar of some sort on her nick. She swallowed. "...hello?" Her voice was whisper soft.

"Ah. I am so pleased you are awake again. I was afraid my stunner was too much for you." She felt a hand tilt her chin up and she instinctively raised her wrists to keep the pressure off her throat. Unfortunately that move brought to her attention that she was not in the heavy comfortable robes that she had been in for dinner. She shivered as the hand ghosted down across her thin blouse that she wore for dinner, happy that she wasn't completely bare to this person. The voice was vaguely familiar, but had obviously been altered. She twisted her wrists together trying to release her wand from it's sheath. "No, no, no, Pet. You won't be hexing anyone tonight." The tip of her familiar wand touched the collar on her neck and it released. "You will remain bound and blindfolded for the time being, but I don't want you to choke."

Hermione flew through the list of wandless spells she could cast to see if she could think her way out of her predicament. "Why are you doing this?" Her question posed to try to distract the person standing in front of her.

A short laugh erupted from her captor's mouth. "No reason. I just want to see if the brains behind the Dark Lord's fall can get herself out of anything."

She sneered at where she thought they were standing. "I'll get you and everything you hold dear, you bastard!" She jerk her left shoulder forward, lashing out with a stinging hex that had her tormentor howling with laughter.

"Nice try, Pet. Missed me completely. You'll have to do better than that!"

Being goaded further, she slumped forward, drawing her energy in to lash out with violence. "Arse," she muttered, pushed her magic out in a burst of fire. "_Incindio_!" The flash of flames burned through the blindfold and the person holding her vanished in a whirl of robes and a flash of pale skin, her wand clattering to the floor. "Bugger." She _accio_ed her wand to her hand and undid the bindings on her wrists and ankles, standing shakily.

As she walked outside, she noticed she had been held in the Shrieking Shack. "Well, that explains their ability to apparate in and out at will then." She walked back through Hogsmead towards the castle, summoning her Patronus. As her otter swirled around her shoulders she whispered instructions to it and sent it on it's way.

"Here we go," she muttered under her breath as she started the long trek back up to the castle.

"HERMIONE!" Draco barreled out of the doors and straight into her, engulfing her in his embrace. "Where have you been the last five hours? Uncle is furious that you didn't come see him. He had all of the staff searching for you on the grounds, even the paintings and ghosts! Your Patronus just said you were coming back. What happened?" As his questioning went on, Hermione sagged into him, until he was all that kept her upright. "Hermione? Hermione?!" He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and swept the other under her knees.

She groaned, turning her face into Draco's shoulder.

"Harpy!" Draco called out to the elf that tended his rooms. "Get Severus and Poppy immediately. Bring them to my rooms." He left before verifying his orders and took Hermione to his rooms right off the entrance hall.

The elf disapparated with a resounding crack to follow the orders issued to her.

**A/N And there we have the next installment.**

**Dreama: Hopefully that'll explain why she didn't know about the books. =] **

**Someday, I hope to be able to spend a bit of time in Spain. Or Greece. Greece sounds cool.**

**I'm going to be super super busy until the 17th, so I leave you with this until then. R/R PLEASE!**


	4. Chapter 4 Wait Your Turn

**A/N Disclaimers never get old, do they? *sigh* Plot bunnies are mine, Harry Potter characters are not...**

**This story is turning out 1k+ words each chapter, so I'm trying to keep up the "good" work. =]**

**Apologies for taking so long. RL is kicking my ass. My boss is a jerk and my car committed suicide. -_-**

**Anyways, without further ado, here is chapter 4**

**/end A/N**

Chapter 4 Wait your turn!

By the time Draco had settled Hermione onto his couch, she was out cold. Harpy disapparated in with a resounding crack and two very disgruntled people.

"Draco!" Snape snapped, jerking out of the elf's grasp. "You do not send a bloody house elf to-" his tirade cut off as he saw Hermione breathing shallowly, bruises purpling on her cheek and arms. "What the hell did you do to her?!" He shoved Draco away and started running diagnostics on her. "I know you are not stupid enough to still think that harming Mugglebormns is a great pasttime. What happened?!"

"I didn't do anything! She summoned me with her _Patronus_ to meet her at the Front Hall. I had no idea that this was what she had been up to. If I had, do you think I would have let her out and about on her own?! Uncle, she is family to me! I can't hurt her. It goes against everything I stand for." He muttered darkly under his breath for a moment. "There was a reason I had Harpy grab Poppy too!"

At that point, Poppy snapped out of her shock at the state that Hermione was in and began running the same diagnostics that Snape had just run on her. "Severus, we need-"

"I know what we need. I can read the signs just as well as you can," Snape snapped as he stood up in a whirl of robes and stepped into the floo. "Headmaster's Quarters," he barked, disappearing in a flash of green flames.

Draco knelt back at Hermione's side. "How is she Poppy? I didn't want the other professors worried, but I'm kind of freaking out myself." He held Hermione's hand lightly, almost as if he was afraid the slightest touch could injure her farther. "Her _Patronus_ barely had a corporeal form Poppy. She must have been magically and mentally exhausted... Who could have grabbed her out from under our noses _in the castle_?"

Poppy looked up sharply at that. "What do you mean she was snatched out of the castle? No one can get in here during Summer Holidays unless they work here or are invited!"

"That's exactly the problem Poppy. No one has invited anyone outside of Hogwarts. The only people that should be here at this very moment are permanent staff! How do we figure out who did this? I can't just go around accusing everyone who works here of attacking her. How do we figure out who did it?"

Snape returned in a flash of green flames and lacking his customary robes. "We should get started on healing her first before we assume that it was one of our own that held her against her will." At that, he started transfusing strengthening potions directly into her stomach as Poppy started working on the surface wounds on her arms and legs. When Poppy cast the next diagnostic and saw that she still had wounds on her back, she carefully rolled her over using magic.

"I trust you boys aren't going to try anything funny while I check on the wounds on her back?"

At the men's agreement that they would let her do her job with no interference, she removed Hermione's blouse with magic. The sight that greeted the witch and two wizards present nearly had the three in shock.

"Uncle-" Draco gasped and hesitantly reached out to Hermione. "Who would scar up my girl like this?"

Across her back were multiple scarred over words. Some old enough that the scarring had faded to white, some so fresh that they almost looked like they would bleed at the slightest provocation. As they watched, a new word sliced itself over an unmarred section of skin. "'Traitor'?" Draco read as it cleaved its way across her back. "Does Potter know about this?"

Hermione groaned and shifted, attempting to get her hands under her chest to push herself up. She blinked a few times before focusing on her audience. "Draco? Headmaster?" She looked at the third in their party and inhaled sharply. "Poppy? What is going on here?" She pushed herself up and gasped as she felt the blood from the new wounds drip down her back. "Nevermind, I think I know." She snapped her wrist out and her wand flew into it. "Get OUT!" Poppy jolted back as if she had been slapped. Snape just sat back and cocked an eyebrow at her. Draco was in too much of a daze at seeing the word appear on her back to notice she had actually ordered them all out.

Then Draco scowled.

"First of all, Granger, you are in _my _rooms, not yours. So, no, I won't be getting out. Second, you were the one that called to me with your _Patronus_ for help. Third, when the HELL were you going to tell me you had been cursed?! Do you know who did it? Or when it may have been cast?" Draco crossed his arms and his face fell. "Hermione, I thought you_ trusted_ me."

Snape leaned forward and grabbed Hermione by the chin and forced her to look at him. "If you do not tell us what you know, I_will_ use whatever means necessary to find out. Do the other two in the Golden Trio know about your affliction or not?" His eyes shaped over to Draco. "Wait your turn! I know you want to question her as well."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut tight, but a few tears slipped out. "Just leave me alone, _please_." Her voice came out barely a whisper, filled with desperation. "I _can't_ tell you. It will only make if worse."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "We will find out one way or another. Do not test my patience, Miss Granger. You will not like my methods of getting information. "

At that, Snape released her chin and backed up letting Draco move in.

"Hermione, who the fuck did this to you? " Draco reached out to her, causing her to flinch back. "Please, " his voice was full of anguish, "let me help you, love. "

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the others. "I can't tell you." She turned away from the three concerned faces watching her. "Just leave me alone. I've survived _this_ long. Who's to say I won't survive another 6 years with no other effects?"


	5. Chapter 5 No Escaping It

**A/N First of all, I would like to apologize to the people that have -followed- my story. I got caught up in leave and coming back to work. I finally have a car again! Anyways, I am back now and should be updating more frequently now.**

**~: Insert standard disclaimer here:~**

**/end A/N**

**Chapter 5 No Escaping It**

At the disbelieving looks being directed at her started to get heated with more than just protectiveness, Hermione stood and pulled her shirt back on. "I'm serious when I say I can handle it." She sounded worn out and defeated. She stood and walked toward the door with every intention of handing in her resignation first thing in the morning.

Draco had stared at her in shock as he let her words sink in. _Six years? But that would mean she got this curse..._ "Hermione!" He grabbed at her, snagging her wrist before she could open the door to leave. "Was it Aunt Bella?" His voice was tinged with remorse and slightly paniced.

She looked at him, her eyebrows knitted. "Bellatrix? No. I got this lovely bit of work after her. The only thing she got me with was 'Mudblood; on my arm and a shallow cut on my neck that healed over with no scar. Your family didn't do this to me." She pulled her arm slightly, causing Draco to release her. "The Malfoys and Lestranges were not responsible for this bit of Dark Magic." She smiled slightly at Draco when she saw he wasn't taking what she said seriously.

Draco choked. "What do you mean after Aunt Bella? She was the only one I ever saw bring a blade to a fight." He glanced at Snape when Snape shifted.

Hermione smiled slightly. "I mean it Draco. No one in either side of your family had anything to do with it." She flicked her gaze over to Snape. "It is no curse of the Prince family either, although I know I don't have to tell you that either. This was a very personal and very intimate curse that was dealt me. I am still researching it, but I only get one scar every few days. I wasn't due to get a new one until tomorrow though. The impromptu torture setion must have sped the process along. Now I'll have to recalculate everything." She sighed heavily before proceeding toward the door again.

"Miss Granger," Snape's soft voice called out.

She kept her back to the trio. "Yes, Headmaster?"

"I will not accept your resignation this close to the start of term. You will teach here this year. If you plan to leave, you need to find a replacement that I will approve of." His voice held a hint of superiority since he knew that no one she pulled in front of him would be good enough. Hermione knew it as well. Hell, the only reason he accepted her was because he couldn't be Headmaster _and_ Potions Professor without resorting to a timeturner to manage it all.

Her body shook with her contained fury. _How dare he tell me what I can and cannot do! I am a grown woman and a powerful witch. I don't have to take this shit from anyone!_

"And Miss Granger?" Snape's voice grated on her ears.

"What?" She snapped.

"I don't care how powerful you are, Miss Granger, I am better. I have more years of deceit and subterfuge than you will ever be able to muster. Don't even think about disobeying a direct order from your boss." Snape settled back in a semblance of ease, while stealthily checking his wand placement for Hermione's outburst...which didn't disappoint him.

"You think that you can control me, you stupid man?!" She screetched, snapping her wand at him with a nonverbal stunner.

Snape smirked as he blocked her attack with ease and cast a _Protego_ over Poppy who was still in shock over everything that had transpired. "Please, you idiotic little dictionary. The only reason you could come close to me in spells is because of your idactic memory." He sneered at her. "Oh yes, Hermione Granger. I know nearly all of your little secrets." He took her moment of distraction and snaked his arm around her waist using his other hand to disarm her. He whispered in her ear. "I dare say I even know who could have been the root of this curse, as well as the person that abducted you." He pushed her forward, Draco catching her before she fell.

"Uncle?" Draco looked at his friend uncertainly as her face shifted from fury to fear and finally settled on defeat. "What did you say to her?"

Hermione took a shuddering breath before throwing a glare at the older man. "He thinks he can find out anything. He is wrong." She grimaced as the newest wounds on her back started weeping blood again. "My wand Snape. I am retiring to my own quarters."

Draco kept his hold on her. "You'll stay here Hermione. They will leave, and you can have the bedroom. I'll stay in the sitting area." He glanced at his Uncle, hoping the man would agree. Apparently he did, because shortly after that glance, Hermione's wand was in Draco's hand and Poppy was being escorted out of the room by Snape. He heaved a sigh and handed Hermione her wand. "We need to have a heart to heart, Granger." He said, his tone belying the rage simmering beneath the surface. Despite what Hermione may have requested, he _will_ find out who did this to her.

Hermione groaned. "Can we talk tomorrow then? I doubt I'll be up for anything else tonight without trying to kill something or someone."

Draco nodded stiffly. "You _will_ talk to me tomorrow, Granger. No escaping it."

She shrugged noncommitally before wincing slightly.

Draco sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Lay on your stomache Granger so I can get a look at the damage and try to get the bleeding under control."

Hermione glanced at him warily before doing as he said. "Merlin, Hermione..." he breathed. He finally had a chance to read everything across her back. "This is terrible. He must have been completely pissed at you to do something on this magnitude."

He noticed Hermione flinched slightly when he said that a male must have been mad at her. _Hmmm. Clue number one. Looks like it'll take a while to get her to tear down her walls and trust me._ He started muttering healing spells while cleaning her back. **TRAITOR**...**WHORE**...**CHEATER**...**MUDBLOOD**...

Hermione sucked in a pained breath as Draco pressed a particularly deep cut in the latest of her titles. "Why did he feel the need to reitterate 'Mudblood' when it's already on your arm?" He asked her, morbidly curious.

She snorted in derision. "Something about your family if I remember right." She sucked in another breath, this time in anger. She wasn't planning on letting that little tidbit of information out to the public.

"I am going to tell Mother about this and see if she's come across a countercurse for anything similar." At Hermione's paniced expression, he added, "I won't tell her it's you, but she is the best curse-breaker I know. She took it up as a hobby during the First Peace." He was referring to the first time Voldemort had been defeated, when Harry Potter was an infant. "When he was defeated the second time around, she took it up as a profession. Father supports her fully. He's even gotten rid of all of our Dark Objects to make sure that we stay on the straight and narrow. You can trust them."

"I know," Hermione whispered. "I went to her first when I realized what had happened. That is why the attacks only happen every few days now."


	6. Chapter 6 You know she's not my type

**A/N Weeeee! New reviews! And a new chapter up just for you guys(or gals) that are keeping up with my story!**

**We'll see who the person behind the curse is shortly, but I think it'll be outed in Chapter 7. We'll be going in-depth on Hermione's relationship with the Malfoys and how it came that she requested help from one Narcissa Malfoy. =]**

**Snape will be dealing with her curse in his own way, and Draco may go a bit stir-crazy.**

**~:Insert standard disclaimer here:~**

**/end A/N**

**CHAPTER 6 You _know_ she's not my type**

The next morning, Hermione woke up and struggled to sit up. "What the hell?" she whispered when she found herself anchored to her bed.

She looked around and realized with a start that she wasn't in her own quarters. "Where..." _Oh..._ Her thoughts traveled back to the previous night when she had finally acquiesced to stay the night where Draco could keep an eye on her wounds. Her view of the room was limited, due to the fact that she was still firmly anchored to the bed. "Draco..." she tapped on his shoulder, trying to get him to pry his arms from her waist. "Draco."

Draco groaned, squeezed her tighter before relaxing his hold, rolling on his back, and pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Her-" he yawned, "-mione?" His gray eyes blinking sleepily, still not entirely focused on the woman next to him. "What? Is it time for breakfast?"

Hermione sighed softly. "I was hoping that we could have breakfast sent here instead of going to the Great Hall. I don't want to know if the others have been told about my...situation...yet. Plus," she stretched, causing her back to pop and making her groan in satisfaction, "I was kind of hoping that we could have a chat with Cissy."

Draco nodded along with what she was saying until he heard his mother's familial nickname roll from her lips. "Cissy? How did you get permission to call her that?" His questions were tinged with suspicion.

Hermione arched an eyebrow. "You don't honestly think that Cissy needs to go to the spa twice a week, do you? She's been my friend since before the war ended, whether she could voice it out or not." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I think it started when I clocked you in third year." She said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "I never spent all that time in the library while the boys went to Hogsmead either. Another thing, you only focused on me during that _conversation_ I had with your Aunt. I was focusing on your mother's face and trying to tell her that I would be fine. She had hopes that we would be together one day. I don't think she quite believed me when I told her that we were in no way involved. Our friendship before you left had given her hope for possible heirs one day." She poked him in the side, causing him to jump so badly he fell out of bed. "You really should tell her once and for all that you are gay. I'm sure she wouldn't take it too hard, considering she wants to just adopt me anyways."

Draco sputtered. "ADOPT? You are 24 years old! Why would she adopt you?" He pulled himself back into the bed.

Hermione laughed lightly. "It would make it easier for her to keep her restrictions on my curse if she had access to me on a familial level. She may even be able to ease it back so that I'm only attacked every week, maybe even two weeks. Magic woven out of love works remarkably well on family members, especially if they are parent to child." Hermione grinned. "I would be her child more if she adopted me than if I married you anyways."

Draco flopped back on his pillows. "How does Lucius feel about all of this then?"

Hermione shrugged. "Lu is fine with me meeting with Cissy on a regular basis. I think even he once thought we would be a fine match, however, he seems to think that there is someone else that suits you better. Merely because of your complete lack of interest in me sexually, of course. Lucius might be many things, but a Muggle-born hater he is not. It takes great courage to stay in the enemy's lair when everyone on your true side thinks you are on the path to destruction."

Draco grabbed his pillow and smacked Hermione in the head with it. "Did you tell him about me then?"

Hermione snatched her own pillow and started hitting Draco with it. "No! I think you should just tell them though! It's not that big of a deal. _I _think you are perfect together. _You_ need to stop letting your fear of letting your parents down get in your way!"

Draco surrendered and held his hands up. "Fine! I will tell them when we see them tomorrow. Can we please get food now though? I am starving." To punctuate his point, his stomach let out a huge growl.

Hermione shrugged, then winced. "Still sore from that last attack I suppose. Do you want to send for Snape so that I can tell him at least part of what I disclosed to you last night after he left, and this morning?"

Draco nodded and grabbed his wand. He cast a _Patronus_, gave it his message, and sent it off to find Snape. "Tizzy!" A house elf popped in.

"Yes Master Malfoy?" The small elf stood in a pristine pillowcase with the Hogwarts crest sewn on the center.

"Breakfast please, for three. Black tea for myself, and coffee for Mistress Granger and Headmaster Snape. He will be arriving shortly. That will be all from me. Hermione?" He shifted his attention to her.

"Ah, Tizzy, please make sure we have a lot of cream and sugar please. I like my coffee sweet. Thank you." When Hermione was finished speaking, Tizzy nodded and disapparated with a resounding crack.

Before Hermione and Draco could get out of bed, the floo in Draco's bedroom flared green and Snape stepped through. "Well," he said, "I can honestly say I wasn't expecting to be greeted by you both in bed."

Hermione flushed crimson and covered her face with her pillow, and Draco flopped backwards laughing. "Uncle Sev, come on. You _know_ she's not my type!"

Snape smirked. "_Yes_. I was just checking that you were still in favor of... Well, We'll discuss that later. I'm sure you have a reason for calling me down here-" he cut off as Tizzy cracked back into the room with breakfast and cracked back out to continue on with her duties. "Breakfast? I already ate." He arched an eyebrow.

"Breakfast is for us, Snape. Coffee for you, but food for us since we didn't go to the Great Hall this morning." Hermione dropped the pillow to grab an English muffin and her coffee. "We actually called for you to let you know at least some of what has been going on with me and my curse. Draco was a bit put out that I didn't let him know about it since it involves the Malfoys most extensively." She nibbled on the muffin.

"Well, let's hear it then, Granger." Snape sat on the couch on Hermione's side of the bed.

Hermione took a fortifying sip of her coffee and launched into the retelling of how she became friends with the Malfoy Matriarch, and how that friendship benefited her when she was cursed.


	7. Chapter 7 Who Do You Belong To?

******A/N**

**Sooo, I got a review saying I needed to clarify that this is NOT a DraMione...Um, I thought I made it clear, but here goes...**

**DRACO AND HERMIONE ARE NOT A COUPLE IN THIS FANFIC.** **There is a reason that I stressed that Ron cheated on Hermione, and that Hermione had a _friendship_ with Draco.**

**On that note, I _had_ considered making this a DraMione, but decided that he would be much better as a confidante than a love interest per my own plot bunnies, and that is all I will say about Hermione's love life in my fic for now. I mean, come on, I still haven't decided if I like the pairing I'm thinking of now.**

**Reviews are still appreciated.**

**/end rant**

**Chapter 7**

Snape listened to Hermione tell her side of the story that he had heard from another angle several years prior. When Hermione finished speaking, his coffee was cold, and he had a cold gleam to his eyes. "You still aren't telling us the main point, Granger. Who cursed you to begin with?"

Hermione crossed her arms defiantly across her chest and glared at Snape. "I can't tell you that. It's my job to take them on, not yours. I don't want to see you go to Azkaban for something so stupid as trying to avenge me. Besides, if you kill him, I will never get rid of the curse. Hogwarts ancient magic is stifling the curse somewhat so I'm not doing as badly as I would be under other circumstances." She rubbed her lower back where the word was etched into her skin the night before.

Snape's eyes narrowed into a calculating gaze. "So it was a male. That narrows down half the population. Now we just need to figure out who you irritated."

Hermione's snapped her eyes up to Snape's. "Don't. I have a long list of enemies. Trying to sort through them all is going to be a lifelong affair. I am the brains of the 'Golden Trio' you know." The way she said Golden Trio held a mocking attitude. "I seriously don't think that you could help. I'm getting to where I can talk to them and try to get them to reverse the curse. As of right now, Cissy is keeping it at bay and the Castle is helping as well." She pulled her hair back and twisted it into a bun, using her wand to secure it like a hair stick. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen, I need to get back to my rooms so I can double check that everything is ready for the students' arrival tomorrow night."

After she left, Snape looked at Draco. "Did you get anything else from her, besides that she was cursed by a male?"

Draco shook his head. "Just that she's been friends with Mother a lot longer than any of us could have imagined. Would you believe that they became friends because she broke my nose in third year?" Draco's voice was incredulous.

Snape snorted. "Well, I can attest to the fact that you were an obnoxious little shit when you were that age. It wasn't until your seventh year when you were helping Dumbledore's Army, however much behind the scenes you were, that you really became the man you are today."

Draco nodded. "I know I was an ass. I was trying to be the good little pureblood that my parents taught me to be. I'm glad that they were actually on the side of the light. It gave me the courage to help when I knew I wouldn't be wanted, and to show the world that there is more to the Malfoy name than Dark Wizards and Dark Magic."

Snape snorted. "Good luck with that. I had Harry Bloody Potter speaking for me and I _still_ get hate filled letters from people claiming I tricked boy wonder into saying I was on the Side of the Light." His inflection gave the impression that side of the light should be capitalized.

Draco sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Do you think the public would get off my ass if I gave an interview with-" He looked up sharply. "Something is wrong!" He took off into the corridor, racing towards Hermione's quarters on the Fifth Floor. "HERMIONE!"

* * *

Hermione shrieked before her voice was cut off abruptly. Her fingers scrabbled against the cold stone floor, searching for her dropped wand. A cloaked figure straddled her, choking off her air supply as she tried desperately to regain her wand.

"HERMIONE!" Draco skidded into the hall just in time to see the figure disapparate with a crack. "Who the hell was that?!" He dropped down by her side as she struggled to sit up.

Hermione coughed. "That was a war deranged person that I had hoped to talk sense into." She coughed again, curling into herself.

"Not an answer, Granger. Who. The. Fuck. Was. That?!" Draco growled out each word, before catching sight of a single red hair on her shoulder. As he helped her stand, he discretely took the hair, determined to get it to Snape to work his magic on finding out who it belonged to.

Hermione brushed him off. "I can handle myself, _Malfoy_." She sneered his name, making him flinch involuntarily.

"That's bullocks, and you know it. That person would have had you done in if I hadn't come up here."

Hermione pushed him away and stooped to grab her wand. "I don't need a bodyguard!" She turned and stormed into her room, casting every protection charm she'd ever learned and quite a few that she had designed herself.

Draco growled out his frustration with the brunette witch and stalked off down the hall in time to bump into Snape himself.

"Well?" Snape drawled.

"She was getting the life choked out of her, but I did manage to get us a clue." He held up the single hair that he pulled from Hermione's sweater. "Think you can get anything from this?"

Snape smiled, his eyes glinting in the darkness. "Of course. Let's see who is after our girl." He took the hair and placed it into an empty vial that was in one of his pockets. He held the vial in front of his eyes. "Not many redheads are mad at the Golden Girl, so who do you belong to?"


	8. Chapter 8 Done Playing, Miss Granger?

**A/N**

**YAY REVIEWS! I have to be honest, my brain is so scattered that I actually had to go back and reread what I wrote. LOL =]**

**This chapter is turning out to be longer than I thought it would. o.o Pushing back the meeting to the next chapter. Birthdates thanks to Pottermore.**

_**Still don't own Harry Potter. **_**T_T**

**/end A/N**

**Chapter 8**

Hermione paced back and forth in her room as she thought over the most recent attack on her person. _How is it possible that they could apparate within Hogwarts?! __Hogwarts: A History__ clearly states that it isn't possible! Only Headmasters and House Elves should have the ability. Was the mainframe of the network of protective spells and enchantments that damaged during the Final Battle?_

Meanwhile, Snape was in the dungeons looking at the ingredients he had gathered for the revealing potion he was about to create. "Mipsy."

A house elf popped into his lab, careful to not touch anything. "Yes, Headmaster Snape?" The elf said in her high, clear voice.

"Make sure that no one comes down here until I complete my potion. Not even the Potions Mistress. Is that understood?"

"Yes!" Mipsy saluted the Headmaster and set about warning the other elves not to let anyone down into the dungeons per Headmaster Snape's orders.

Snape turned back to the ingredients, looking them over making sure nothing was flawed. He pulled his wand out and cast a quick _Patronus _to send to Draco. '_Draco, I'm starting the potion. Make sure that Granger is preoccupied._' He sent his doe off and started working on the potion.

* * *

Several hours later, Draco had finally gotten Hermione to open her door and let him in after bribing her with chocolate frogs and licorice wands.

Hermione sat, munching on a chocolate frog as she and Draco went through the schedule she had finally gotten Snape to approve for her class. Hermione looked up sharply. "We are still meeting Cissy tomorrow, yes?"

Draco nodded. "Uncle Sev is coming as back-up. Oh, don't look at me like that Granger. It's for your own good. It's not like we are purposely trying to tie you down. We're trying to keep you safe! I still don't understand why you didn't come to me when this happened to you!"

"It's none of your business! It wouldn't even be Narcissa's business if she hadn't been the one to se me get hit in the ba-" she broke off, hands over her mouth and eyes wide.

Draco stood up, towering over her. "You mean to tell me that my MOTHER knows who did this and they are still ALIVE?!" His voice reverberated off of the stone walls.

Hermione stood up and shoved Draco away from her. "Just leave it! It doesn't matter. I am _so_ close to getting them to let me free of it. I may have to keep the scars, but at least _I _ will be the one to free myself!" She pushed him again and gave a growl in frustration when he grabbed her hands and yanked her into his chest. "Let me go!"

Draco glared down into her brown eyes. "No. You need to realize that we are here to stay, Granger. You are acting like a spoiled brat, and I _refuse_ to stand by and do nothing while my _best friend_ is in pain." His gray eyes softened. "Hermione, we are trying, but you keep pushing us away. Eventually, you are going to push us so far we won't be able to help, no matter how powerful we are."

Hermione sighed, and rested her forehead against Draco's chest. "I don't want to be the stupid 'damsel in distress' that needs a 'white knight' to save her. I can take care of myself," she grumbled softly.

Draco sighed and patted the top of her head. "I know that you can. It doesn't change the fact that I want to be there to support you." He chuckled darkly, "Besides, if what you were saying is true, you will be hard-pressed to get rid of your big brother."

At that, Hermione pulled away and started laughing.

Draco crossed his arms and pouted. "What's so funny?"

Hermione snorted and covered her face laughing harder. "Y-you think th-that you are ol-older than me?" She collapsed into a fit of giggles on her couch.

Draco frowned. "I am though!"

"D-draco, I am older than you!" She giggled helplessly.

"You are not! I was born June 5, You were born September 19!" Draco tapped his foot in an annoyed manner.

"Yeah, but I was born 9 months before you, not 3 months after you." Hermione started to sober up. "Me being adopted into your family won't change your inheritance, right? I don't want to mess up your birthright." Hermione frowned as she mulled over this new thought.

Draco shook his head. "Apparently, wizarding wardrobes aren't the only things stuck in the Dark Ages. Firstborn _male_ inherits everything. Firstborn _female _gets a hefty dowry."

Hermione snorted incredulously. "So, after I become part of the _family_ I miraculously get a _dowry_? I feel like a piece of furniture to be auctioned off." She flopped back on the couch and crossed her arms.

Draco sighed and flopped down next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Of course you are not a piece of furniture, Hermione!" He smirked and pulled her into a headlock. "You are an encyclopedia!" He burst into laughter as he released her.

Just as Hermione was about to start punching Draco for his insolence, a silvery peacock _Patronus_ flew in through the window. '_We are waiting for you at the cafe we met at last time, Sweetheart. Bring Draco and Severus with you. We have much to discuss._'

"Narcissa is here," Hermione said quietly. "Is he ready to go?"

"I'll check. _Expecto Patronum!_" A silver horned owl flew out of his wand and hovered in front of him awaiting his orders. "Uncle Sev, Mother and Father are waiting for us in Hogsmeade. Meet us outside the Great Hall in 15 minutes." The owl nodded it's head at Draco before spreading his wings and taking flight.

* * *

Severus cursed when the silvery owl flew through the open window in his chambers. He had just finished the potion revealing the perpetrator of the curse. _This is perfect timing Draco. I can confront Hermione and get her to tell me why **he** cursed her. I never would have suspected him to be able to curse our Golden Girl._

He stood up and grabbed his outer robes off the back of the chair by his door, patting the hidden pocket to be sure that the vial of gray-green potion was in fact still there before throwing them on and storming his way to the Great Hall to meet his one-time students.

"Draco. Are we ready?" Severus looked at Draco with his head tilted slightly to the left. With the cue, Draco cast a non-verbal _Legilimens_ to read what Severus had found without alerting Hermione to what he was doing.

Draco cut off the spell with a cough and a shake of his head. "Of course. Let's go." His brows furrowed as he let Hermione take the lead so he could fall in step with Severus. "Are you absolutely certain about the result, Uncle?" He whispered softly, knowing that Hermione was out of earshot and too busy trying to find something in her beaded bag for something or other that she dropped carelessly in its depths. Undetectable extension charms are sometimes more trouble than they are worth.

Severus nodded almost imperceptibly. "I have never been more sure than I am now."

Draco's looked down, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. "That self-righteous, over-bearing, son-of-a-" His voice steadily rising, Hermione turned to look at them.

"Draco? Were you talking to me?" Hermione stopped and waited for the two wizards to catch up to her. "Are you alright?"

Draco nodded stiffly. "I got a letter from a concerned parent telling me not to get all uppity since I'm a 'Death Eater Has-been' and was just telling Uncle Sev about it." He downplayed his outburst.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but shrugged. "I still get fan mail from supporters and howlers from people that think I personally sentenced their husbands to Azkaban." She smiled brightly. "Oh! Gronwell and Binlow!" She tossed her bag at Draco who nearly dropped it as she ran towards the Thestral pair that had blocked her from Snape when she first arrived at Hogwarts. "Beauties, how have you been?" She pulled out a pair of apples for the pair and they gobbled them up. Despite the species inclination towards raw meats, these two preferred sweet apples. "I'll visit the herd later with more treats."

She patted them and turned to go back to her wizard escort. "Done playing, Miss Granger?" Snape drawled.

Hermione huffed. "I told them I'd visit them, but I have only seen them a couple times since my first day on staff."

"Yeah yeah. Come on, Granger. My parents are waiting!" Draco grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the gate. "Mother is going to kill me if we are late."


End file.
